Umbrella-rib retainer



N0. 749,376. 7 PATENTED JAN. 12, 1904. s. E. GEOFF.

UMBRELLARIB RETAINER.

APPLIOATIOH FILED JUNE 25, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Witnesses gvwentoz T at whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, SYLvANUs E. GEOFF, a citizen of the United States,residing at Reading, in the county of Berks and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Umbrella-RibRetainers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates in general to the construction of umbrellas, butmore especially to the construction of the parts known as thenotch-piece or runner,- and the object of the same is to construct adevice which will be applicable to umbrella and parasol frames and inwhich the ends of theribs ordinarily used in umbrellas will be heldtherein independently of each other by means of ball and socket joints.brellas of this type the construction of the notch-piece or runner hasproved objectionable, because in order to insert or remove a rib afterthe notch-piece or runner has been secured to the stick the rib must betwisted or turned to prevent of such insertion or removal or else thefingers or prongs must be bent and straightened. In the former case thetwisting of the rib is rendered impossible by the stretcher, and in thelatter instance the constant straightening and bending of the prongs orfingers eventually breaks them off, and this efiects two of the ribs andallows them to drop out of position.

The object of my present invention is to overcome all of theseobjections, and to this end I have constructed a device in which theoperated independently of all of the other ribs without the slightesttwisting movement of the ribs- The invention is fully described in thefollowing specification and clearly illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

Figure 1 is a plan view of my device. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionalview of the same. Fig. 3 is a detailed view of one of the rib ends. Fig.4C is adetailed view of the runner-sleeve. Fig.

The body portion 1 is formed with two cir- UNITED STATES 7 Heretofore inumribs can be inserted and removed and also Patented January 12, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

SYLVANUS E. GROFF, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALFTOALLEN C. MELLERT, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

UMBRELLA-RIB RETAINER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Eatent N0. 749,376, dated January12, 1904;.

' Application filed June 25, 1903. Serial No. 163,064. (No model.)

cular vertical walls 2 and 3 of substantially equal height, leaving anaperture in the center thereof. The outer wall 3 is formed with a seriesof equidistant slots or depressions 4, adapted to engage the rib ends 5.A plate or cover 6 is adapted to be secured to the top of the bodyportion, preferably by means of screws 7 passing through the bodyportion and engaging said plate. This plate is formed with a number ofperipheral slots 8, equal in number to and adapted to register with theslots 4 in the body portion. Asmall slot 9 is also formed in theperiphery of the plate adapted to engage an upset lug 10 on the bodyportion for the purpose of bringing the parts into proper alinement forsecuring the screws.

On the upper edge of the inner circular wall 2 is formed a V-shapedprojection 11, which is adapted to be bent inward to engage the opening12 in the runner-sleeve 13 to secure it to said sleeve.

.Therib ends 5 are formed with balls or enlargements 14 in the form of adumb-bell, one ball being formed on either side thereof.

It is understood that the notch-piece at the top of the umbrella-stickis of the same construction, but in reverse position.

The ribs are secured to the runner or notch piece after the latter hasbeen secured to the the stick by inserting their ends in the slots 4 andthen placing the plate 6 in position on the body portion and insertingthe screw 7, the slots in the plate allowing the ribs to open and closefreely.

It will be seen that after the ribs are in position in the notch-pieceor runner there is no possibility of any of them becoming disengaged;but should it be desirable to remove one or more of the ribs it canreadily be done by merely removing the plate and taking out the said ribwithout interfering with the other ribs while the umbrella is in openposition, as the tension caused by the stretcher will keep the rib endsin proper position even with the plate removed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of an umbrella rib retainer consisting of a dish-shapedbody porportion and a smaller peripheral slot adapted to engage the lugon the'outer Wall of the body portion; of a rib provided With anenlarged head in the form of a dumb-bell, adapted to be removablysecured to said retainer by inserting it in the slots of the outer wall,and screws passing through the said body portion and engaging saidplate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification inpresence of two witnesses.

SYLVANUS E. GEOFF. Witnesses:

E1). A. KELLY, GEO. M. MILLER.

